§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the current average weekly cost of maintaining a person in prison and the current average weekly cost of supervising a person under a community service order; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorDuring the financial year 1982–83, the latest year for which comparable figures are available, the average weekly costs of keeping a person in custody was £218, and the estimated weekly cost of supervising a person under a community service order was £10; the latter figure is based on the breakdown of probation service expenditure made by local authorities. The Government are anxious to maximise the use of non-custodial penalties in appropriate cases, but decisions in individual cases must be for the courts.